XTC
Drums and Wires
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"Making Plans For Nigel" is XTC's first English Top 20 hit and both it and the underground gem "Helicopter" introduce America's alternative pop fans to the band. Says Melody Maker: "XTC has broken cover and broken ground." New Music Express insists that the band's music "demands new adjectives."
Geffen CD Release 1991 includes three tracks not on original album: The flashback dance song "Life Begins At The Hop" and the ode to self-love "Limelight" (both written by Moulding) and the infectious disease-fighting anthem "Chain Of Command" (penned by Partridge). "Life Begins At The Hop" appeared previously only on Waxworks.
[Geffen promotional literature, 1991]
Andy: “Twang! Barry goes, Dave comes and the band is reborn. We revel in electric guitars, voodoo tom toms and the discovery of our songwriting muscle (which is becoming delightfully erect).”
Andy: “Suddenly we were a three piece. The songwriting was starting to get half decent and we were revelling in two wiry sounding guitars, twanging bass and voodoo tom-toms.”
The Album was rehearsed against all odds (you know the sort of thing, no lavatory, complaining Chinese waiters from next door) in the cellar of our managers ex-club and in a collapsing barn just outside of town. It was recorded at the Townhouse Studios in Goldhawk Road, London against all odds (blocked lavatories, complaining Ian Andersons from next door). The man who entered a competition of the back of a chocolate fingers packet and assumed he'd win a holiday in Greece was the victim of a very cruel joke, the actual prize being the job of producer for a fortnight. Yes Mister Steve (Space Invader) Lillywhite. They said in the Rules that the winner would be able to bring along a friend. The poor lad with the flip flops and bronzing gel was no other than engineer in chief, Hugh (No Ears, Great Holes Through) Padgham. Dressed very poorly as an airline stewardess, a hotel manager and deck chair attendant to compile the picture were tape operators and tea stirrers, Georgie Chambers and his dog “Lonely” Steve Prestage and Nick Cook. Thanks to Dick Cuthell for being ‘Herb Helpless And His Marihuana Brass’ and for the Vernon Yard Male Voice Choir on “Roads Girdle the Globe”. Smacks of appreciations to Steve (Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Louder) Warren.
Lyrics, Charts and More
Original U.K., U.S.A., and Australian release of the LP included a bonus single with the following tracks:
The original U.S.A. LP also included the following:
Most recent CDs of the album also include the above bonus tracks.
Recording Information
Recorded at the Townhouse Studio, London, England.
Produced by Steve (Space Invader) Lillywhite.
Engineered by Hugh Padgham.
Tape operators Georgie Chambers and his dog ‘Lonely’, Steve
Prestage, and Nick Cook.
Originally released on 17 August 1979 in the U.K.
Reached No. 34 on the U.K. album chart.
Reached No. 176 on the U.S. album chart.
Dick Cuthell - ‘Herb Helpless and his Marihuana Brass’
+ Vernon Yard Male Voice Choir (including Al
Clark).
The working title for this album was Boom-Dada-Boom.
Singles
(U.K. promo only)
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(U.S.A. promo only)
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(U.S.A. only)
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(non-album)
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Art
Drums and Wires 8-track tape (still shrinkwrapped!) |
Drums and Wires 8-track tape |
newspaper ad for Drums and Wires |
advertisement for the Japanese release of Drums and Wires |
Drums and Wires promo poster |
Australian Drums and Wires poster |
Drums and Wires LP insert group photo |
Drums and Wires picture CD |
photograph of a stencilled graffiti |
Canadian Drums and Wires cassette J-card |
a Drums and Wires promotional poster |
Gold disc award for New Zealand sales of Drums & Wires |
a Drums & Wires T-shirt |
Gold disc award for New Zealand sales of Drums & Wires |
back of a Drums & Wires T-shirt |
Drums and Wires sticker |
Go back to XTC Reel by Real.
14 March 2008 / Feedback